What I’ve been reading lately #23

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I’ve got a bit of a bumper ‘what I’ve been reading lately’ update today, as this is my end of year wrap up. I’ve been averaging two books a week lately as I’ve taken on an extra day at work – extra commuting time means extra reading time!

There’s a fun mixture here of sequels, non-fiction, critically acclaimed and award-winning, as well as those for both younger and older audiences. I’m anything but predictable.

I read The Handmaid’s Tale for the first time recently and, while I appreciate that it’s an important book and still very topical, I didn’t love it, so I wasn’t one of those who rushed out to buy The Testaments as soon as it was released. I do, however, have serious FOMO when it comes to books everyone is talking about (nerd alert!), so I swiftly added it to my library reservation list.

Set more than 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments features witness accounts of two young women who have come of age in the new order, as well as the voice of a third woman whose narrative goes back to pre-Gilead times.

I enjoyed this book more than its predecessor. I think it’s the book we need in this current political climate; there’s a spark of hope in these women coming together, determined to fight for a better world, whatever it takes.

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I felt a bit dubious when I first read of a sequel to PS I Love You. I really enjoyed the book on its first release and proceeded to read everything Cecelia Ahern has written, but the book has such a legacy. It was the first book to make me cry and I wasn’t a fan of the film adaptation – some things shouldn’t be messed with. So I was wary of a follow up, especially when there seems to be so many sequels for sequels sake. But people were talking positively on #bookstagram so I added it to the ol’ library list.

Set seven years after Gerry’s death, and six years after Holly read his final letter, Holly is working in her sister’s shop, still living in the flat she shared with her late husband, and in a relationship which is starting to get serious. After discussing the effect of Gerry’s letters on her sister’s podcast, she’s contacted by a group of people who call themselves The PS I Love You Club. They ask her to help them leave something behind for their loved ones, but to help them would mean returning to the toughest period of Holly’s life, when she’s worked so hard to move on.

My only niggle with this book is that the timing feels a bit off. 15 years have actually passed between books, so talk of podcasts feels a bit weird, especially as I reread the first book before diving into the sequel. But it’s as beautiful and moving as you’d expect, without feeling exploitative.

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I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet who hasn’t heard the name Greta Thunberg by now. In less than a year she went from sitting alone outside Sweden’s parliament building to encouraging millions of young people to strike around the world.

I was interested to find out more about her and her activism so picked up this (children’s) book from the library (gotta love libraries!). It’s definitely a must-read for younger readers, inspiring them to make the world a better place, as well as teaching them about sustainability. I think it could also help children who have recently received an Asperger’s diagnosis and are worried about being seen as different.

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While I’d read about Greta before, I’d never actually read or watched any of her speeches, so this was a really useful and insightful read, albeit a tad repetitive, featuring transcripts of her speeches from mass protests to the UN. A must-read for budding change-makers.

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This was another one of those #bookstagrammademedoit books. There are two Bookstagrammers I’m finding particularly influential at the moment: @steph_nourishmeblog and @thehelsproject.

I added Th1rt3en to The List after Steph raved about it and it was sooo good. I’ve been reading a lot of feminist non-fiction and mental health self-help this year and I always forget how much I love a good thriller until I pick one up again. This is actually the latest in a series. It can be read as a standalone but I’ll definitely be going back and checking out the rest (much like I did with Dennis Lehane’s books after reading Gone Baby Gone).

Th1rt3en is as innovative, tense and engrossing as they come. How could it not be with a strapline like this: “The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury.”

I’ve currently got over 100 screenshots on my phone of books I’ve seen on Instagram that I want to check out – and I’m adding more every day. Wish me luck!

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Sophie Kinsella and Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) were my guilty pleasure for a long time, then I was somewhat disappointed by the last two Shopaholic books. Had I grown out of them? I decided to give Christmas Shopaholic a go before deciding if I was going to walk away from the series for good.

I’m glad I gave it another chance because it was actually one of my favourite instalments. Sure, it’s a bit cliched to have Becky host her first Christmas for the family and have it focus on the message of the true meaning of Christmas, but it was done in a really lovely and heart-warming way. I’ve been reading these books for well over a decade and I’m already looking forward to the next release.

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I love Dawn O’Porter. Her books hold a mirror up to modern life and relationships and she isn’t afraid to be brutally honest, writing female characters who are ballsy but also a bit broken. They’re relatable. And leave us feeling a bit more hopeful.

So Lucky reminded me a bit of Holly Bourne’s How Do You Like Me Now?, exploring our need for validation through social media, but also the age-old question: can women really have it all?

As with her previous book, The Cows, I had a favourite of the three women who drive the narrative, but there are elements of all of them which were endearing and relatable. And I loved the message about the power of sisterhood. There can be so much competition between women but we’re stronger when we support each other and work together. I’ll get off my soapbox now.

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I tend to be a bit skeptical of books which receive a lot of hype as I’m not very good at managing my expectations. I read Normal People last year and wasn’t a fan at all, so I was a bit wary when everyone started raving about Girl, Woman, Other. Turns out it’s more than worth the hype.

This truly spectacular novel follows 12 people around the UK over the course of 100 years. They’re all searching for something – a sense of identity, family, hope, a place to belong… Their lives are interconnected and I loved seeing how they came together. Bernadine Evaristo’s Booker Prize-winning novel builds to a satisfying conclusion yet still leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

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What have you been reading lately?